The shape-memory effect of shape-memory alloys occurs due to the transition from the beta phase at high temperatures to the thermoelastic martensite phase at low temperatures. The effect is either irreversible or reversible. Applications which use the irreversible shape-memory effect are found in connectors and couplings, and those which utilize the reversible effect are in window openers, valve switches, heat-actuated water sprinklers and safety switches, as well as thermodriven apparatus such as heat engines.
Typical shape-memory alloys that could be used commercially in the above mentioned applications are Cu-Zn-Al alloys consisting essentially of 10-45% Zn and 1-10% Al, the balance being Cu and incidental impurities (hereunder all percents are by weight). However, these copper-base shape-memory alloys are not highly reliable because they have low ductility both at high temperatures (beta-phase) and at low temperatures (martensite phase) and hence are prone to fatigue failure. The low ductility of the martensite phase results in its low deformability. However, the shape-memory effect of shape-memory alloys consists of deformation in the martensite phase at low temperatures and recovery to the original shape in the beta-phase at elevated temperatures, and therefore, the performance of shape-memory alloys largely depends on the deformability of the martensite phase. If the deformability of the martensite phase is low, the recovery to the original shape is reduced, and the desired working amount is not obtainable. This has been a limiting factor in the design of industrial devices using Cu-base shape-memory alloys.